Ushanting Mud Volcano Natural Reserve Introduction
There are 27 mud volcanoes around the world, and the Shen Shui Farm in the Shen Shui Village of the Yan Chao District is the most developed area for mud volcanoes in Taiwan, covering an area of 3.88 hectares. To protect this unique landscape, the Council of Agriculture announced it as the "Wusanting Mud Volcano Natural Reserve" in 1992. The formation of the mud volcanoes is caused by the movement and rupture of the Chishan Fault beneath the Earth's crust, allowing moisture to seep underground and mix with mudstone to form mud. High-pressure gas then forces the mud to the surface through fissures, creating the mud volcanoes. This area has three conical mud volcanoes, with the tallest reaching 3.5 meters and a slope of about 50 degrees, making it a typical mud cone. They erupt every few seconds, with thick mud flowing down the cone and forming tongue-like mudflows, covering a diameter of up to 70 meters. Mud and gases are often ejected, and these gases can be ignited or burn spontaneously. For educational and academic purposes, visitors must fill out an application form to enter the natural reserve, where they can observe precious badland topography, mud volcanoes, and natural ecology.
